Foster Care & Child Welfare Expert; Founder & Director of The Foster Care Institute; Author on Foster Care & Parenting; International Consultant & Speaker

Monticello, GA, USA

Dr. John DeGarmo Biography

Dr. John DeGarmo is recognized for his expertise in foster care, child welfare, and trauma-informed parenting. DeGarmo holds a Bachelor of Arts in history, master's degrees in media technology and educational leadership, and a doctorate in educational leadership. He is the founder and director of The Foster Care Institute, which provides resources and support to foster families, child welfare professionals, and communities seeking to improve the foster care system. DeGarmo also founded Never Too Late, a residential group home for boys in foster care, where he serves as national development director.

DeGarmo has extensive experience as a foster parent, having cared for more than 60 children over 17 years. His doctoral research focused on the needs of foster children in rural schools, addressing the unique challenges these children encounter in educational environments. As an international consultant, DeGarmo advises schools, legal firms, and foster care agencies, and serves as a speaker and trainer for organizations in the child welfare sector. He has also worked as a legal consultant and expert witness.

DeGarmo is the author of 10 books on foster care and parenting, including "The Little Book of Foster Care Wisdom: 365 Days of Inspiration and Encouragement for Foster Care Families," "Faith and Foster Care," "A Different Home: A New Foster Child's Story," "The Foster Care Survival Guide: The Essential Book for Today's Foster Parents," and "The Foster Parenting Manual: A Practical Guide to Creating a Loving, Safe and Stable Home." He contributes regularly to magazines and publications in the United States and internationally.

DeGarmo is a public speaker whose TEDx Talk, "Children In Need: Children Ignored," has reached a wide audience. He conducts seminars and consults globally on foster care, child sex trafficking, adoption, and child welfare issues. DeGarmo has presented at international foster care summits and has appeared on CNN, Good Morning America, ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, and PBS. He and his wife have received the Good Morning America Ultimate Hero Award, the Up With People Ultimate Hero Award, and have been recognized as Citizens of the Year in their hometown. DeGarmo's work combines lived experience, academic research, and advocacy to support children and families involved in the foster care system.

BOOK Dr. John DeGarmo

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 10/30/2026.

Dr. John DeGarmo Speaking Topics

  • Compassion Fatigue: When You Care Too Much

    This session will focus on the condition known as Compassion Fatigue, or Secondary Traumatic Stress. During the presentation, participants will learn about the realities of compassion fatigue, and how it affects their foster parenting. Participants will learn strategies designed to best address this form of stress, and how to best treat it.

  • Positive Parenting Solutions

    This session focuses on what Positive Parenting is and how it can be used to best help with acts of misbehavior by children.During this presentation, participants will come to understand what Positive Parenting is, and how it can be used to help children with behavior problems. Participants will be equipped with strategies designed to help strengthen their family through Positive Parenting.

Read More +

Dr. John DeGarmo Videos

Meet Dr. John DeGarmo, Foster Care Expert!

Meet Dr. John DeGarmo, Foster Care Expert!

On this episode of the EMPOWER Together Podcast, Desirie interviews Dr. John DeGarmo, founder, and director of the Foster Care Institute and foster...

Managing Stress when Working with Youth in Foster Care

Managing Stress when Working with Youth in Foster Care

Dr. John DeGarmo - COURT TV

Dr. John DeGarmo - COURT TV

Foster care expert Dr. John DeGarmo talks about missing children and the foster care system.

  • How do I book Dr. John DeGarmo to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Dr. John DeGarmo for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Dr. John DeGarmo, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Dr. John DeGarmo or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Dr. John DeGarmo

    Speaking fees for Dr. John DeGarmo, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Dr. John DeGarmo are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Dr. John DeGarmo, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Dr. John DeGarmo speak about?

    Dr. John DeGarmo is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Anti-Bullying, Author, Faith & Religion, Family & Parenting, Mental Health, Motivational, Personal Growth, Social Activism, TED, Youth
  • Where does Dr. John DeGarmo travel from?

    Dr. John DeGarmo generally travels from Monticello, GA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Dr. John DeGarmo’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Dr. John DeGarmo for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Dr. John DeGarmo for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Dr. John DeGarmo or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Dr. John DeGarmo is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Compassion Fatigue: When You Care Too Much, Positive Parenting Solutions, Responding to the Needs of Foster Children in Public Schools , Trauma Informed Parenting: How to be a Trauma Informed Parent and Bullying in the 21st Century: Protecting Children from Bullying. The estimated speaking fee range to book Dr. John DeGarmo for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Dr. John DeGarmo generally travels from Monticello, GA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Elizabeth Wynter, Ryan Stream, Dave Pelzer, Sarah Vinson and Carlotta Taylor. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Dr. John DeGarmo for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.
Please Select Event Budget
Please enter your message
Please Enter Your Name
Please Enter Your Email
  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP